Charles Bradley and The Menahan Street Band: Live in Studio

Sometimes the path to music discovery is a long and winding one.

I recently heard about Soul of America – a documentary focusing on singer Charles Bradley. I haven’t seen it yet, but I did start checking out music by the singer. One of the tunes was “The World (Is Going Up In Flames)” from the album, No Time for Dreaming. I thought this must be a re-issue from the good old days of Muscle Shoals, but I was wrong. It was released in 2011.

My journey wasn’t over. Thanks to that record, I discovered The Menahan Street Band – the musicians who made the magic with Bradley. Bassist Nick Movshon is a big part of that sound, of course.

Here they are with Bradley in a December, 2012 appearance at Seattle’s KEXP radio studio. The band performed four tunes, “Lights Out”, “Three Faces”, “Lovin’ You Baby” and “How Long”.

The first half or so of the video is instrumental. If you want to hear the band with Bradley, that happens around the 8 minute mark.

There’s no school like the old school. Even when it is new old school.

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Leave a Reply to Jeremy Jeanguenin Cancel reply

  1. “There’s no school like the old school. Even when it is new old school.” You nailed it Corey and I agree, now check some footage by Calibro 35 and you won’t regret

  2. A nova escola é incrível, mas realmente nada supera a antiga escola. Esse vídeo é uma prova disso. Belíssima combinação da antiga com a nova [antiga] escola.

  3. I love the Menahan Street band. Most of those guys back up Daptone artists like Lee Fields, Charles Bradley, etc. Nick Movoshon was also a member of the Meter’s style funk band “The Mighty Imperials.” I just noticed that the other day when I was looking at my copy of “Thunder Chicken.”

  4. For those interested: I have a a transcription online of “The World (Is Going Up in Flames)” live from Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop in Austin, TX, during KEXP’s broadcast at SXSW.
    http://www.basles.be/transcriptions.php?i=120

  5. Guy in the pic is NOT Movshon but Vince Chiarito. He’s the current bass player with The Extraordinaires. Movshon is rarely seen live with CB, he mostly plays live with Lee Fields.

  6. Oops, I was wrong with my late statement. This is Nick Movshon playing an odd Gibson SB300, the same Vince Chiarito is using on tour with Charles Bradley. This bass appears to be well crafted and cuts as much as a Fender B while staying a short scale instrument.